


Declaration of Intent

by TheBrcklayer



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste Is Sunshine, Adrien Agreste Knows, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Has a Crush on Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Is a Little Shit, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir is Like a Disney Princess, Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng Fluff, Alya Césaire Is The Best, Alya Césaire Knows, Alya Césaire Ships It, Bouquet of Disdain, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Flustered Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Identity Reveal, Language of Flowers, Protective Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Slice of Life, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-17 16:33:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29844312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBrcklayer/pseuds/TheBrcklayer
Summary: Adrien, via a tip from Alya, learns the language of flowers.Cue Marinette being turned into a flustered mess with carnations and camillas while Lila, who doesn't understand gets marigolds and rhododendrons.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 10
Kudos: 191





	Declaration of Intent

**Author's Note:**

> Can you tell what I had to look up today? (And no, I'm not making any money off Ladybug, and huge thanks to toujoursmiraculous for the proofreading)

“You look like a lovesick fool, Kitty,” Rena commented one night over patrols, the fox always perceptive in her ways. It must have been the reporter in her. “...Alright, I’ll bite. Who’s the lucky lady. ...or guy? I won’t judge.”  
  
“She’s utterly glorious, Rena,” Cat oozed affection, looking like he was about to melt into a puddle of goo. “She’s always so kind, so wonderfully kind. She’s incredibly generous, so giving. I’m not sure I’m even worthy of her.”  
  
“I dunno, given how much of a lovesick fool you are, it might be the other way around. She may not be worthy of _you_ Kitty,” Rena remarked. “You sound like you have plenty to give yourself. But you still haven’t divulged your lucky lady’s name and I am just chomping at the bit to know! Gnawing really!”

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng…” Cat said with so much love in his words he probably would have made Ricky Martin jealous. Like, every inch of his tone was dripping with unadulterated passion. 

“Oooooh, so the stray cat finally admits that he wants to come in from the cold?” Rena slid up next to him looking excited with her eyes sparkling. “...Well she is a sucker for romance, so if you’re ever going to make her invite you inside you must show her that everybody wants to be or in this case _be with_ a cat! So start _chatting_ her up, ha!”

“I have taught you well,” Cat fistbumped her before shifting nervously. “...So suggestions? Marinette, she… she goes all weird on me whenever I talk to her as Adrien. And I’m not sure I’m ready to tell her I’m Cat just yet yeah. I don’t want to overwhelm her, and make things even weirder.”  
  
It had been an accident really, during a patrol. He’d caught her de-transforming and he needed someone to share the secret with and so he blabbed to Rena. ...Who apparently had known from the start, so small world right?

“You don’t have to speak with _words_ Kitty,” Rena commented. “The language of love isn’t _just_ limited to words, my boy. You can speak with flowers. You’ve never heard of flowers and their many meanings?”  
  
“No…?” Adrien asked.

“Boy, you’ve been simping for my girl and yet you still haven’t learned all the ways to ask her out?” Rena snorted. “Man, you need a teacher in the ways of romance! Allow me to be your instructor. I charge by the hour, fair warning Rapunzel.”  
  
“Oh well, I’m rich so it’s not like I’ll be lacking funds,” Cat shrugged. Rena had figured out his identity fairly quickly, just by studying his face. Probably how she’d worked out who Marinette was now that he thought it. “Still a cat's the only cat who knows how to swing and I will make my Lady _swoon._ Then we can go dancing on a hot tin roof!”  
  
“Just don’t get her feet burned!” Rena laughed, slapping his shoulder.

“How’d you learn about this anyways?” Cat had to ask. “...Did Nino suddenly pick this up?”  
  
“Oh, _mi corazon_ has hidden depths. What, do you think it was the musician in him that won me over?”  
  
“Well, yeah, actually,” Cat shrugged, wondering how he could have been so stupid. _Of course_ it was Marinette. It had always been Marinette. Why would suddenly two of his classmates get Miraculouses? Two of his classmates that _just so happened_ to be Marinette’s best friends? He should have seen it sooner. “...I always thought he came to your balcony and serenaded you or something.”  
  
“Like I said, my boy has hidden depths,” Rena smirked lavisciously. “And ooooooh, he’s lured this fox out of her den!”  
  
“Yeeeah, no offense, but there are certain things I’d rather not think about,” Cat blushed. “...My best friends having sex is one of them.”  
  
“But you’d rather think about having sex with my girl, _right_ Kitty?” Rena laughed, probably enjoying the look on his face. “You are _thirsty_ as sin. Just warning you right now, you break her heart and I break your spine.”

Adrien swallowed and tugged at his suit. “I… I get the message. But honestly? You have full permission to shoot me in the head. If I ever break My Lady’s heart it means I must be checked into an insane asylum, because surely I’ve lost my senses.”  
  
Rena smiled at him. “Good answer!”

\------

As soon as he got home, Adrien flipped through a webpage and studied it intensely.

“...Oooh, flower language huh?” Plagg said, looking over his shoulder. “...That’s not something I’ve seen been used in a while. Oh, people never respect the classics.”  
  
Adrien gaped at his kwami, who was now more interested in this than his stinky cheese. “You mean you can be refined?”  
  
“Oh, ye of little faith. Just because I’m chaos personified doesn’t mean I can’t take an interest in classier things. Honestly, I was waiting for you to learn about this and eat it up like the sucker for romance that you are.”  
  
Adrien continued to study the meanings of every flower and an almost evil grin came over his face. 

“Alright, I’ll bite,” Plagg hovered near him. “What’s your plan?”  
  
“Well, flowers don’t _always_ show your love for someone,” Adrien said looking very cat-like in his smile. “I may not be able to show my… distaste for Lila in public, but I can find loopholes.”  
  
“Gotta love loopholes,” Plagg smirked, getting what his holder was laying down. “Oh, I like where this is going! Nobody will know what you’re _really_ saying to Lila unless they’re ‘in the know’.”

“Exactly!” Adrien said so wishing he had glasses so he could do the Gendo Pose right now.

“Meanwhile you make bakery girl _swoon_ with your love language!” Plagg went on.  
  
“Forget the power of god and anime, I have the power of flowers~!” Adrien proclaimed.

“...Yeah, that just sounds ridiculous with you saying it out loud,” Plagg drawled suddenly, finding his cheese more interesting. As he snarfed on it, he remarked, “...There are some things you should just keep to yourself and never say aloud, lest you risk looking like an idiot.”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Adrien said, pulling the stinky cheese away from him as his kwami let out a little whine. “You’re disgusting.”

\------

Marinette, for her part when she walked into class that next day was in for a little shock. She let out a squeal as she raced towards her desk.

“Oh, don’t get your hopes up Dupain-Cheng,” Chloe remarked with a small snort as she saw the same bouquet as her. “Obviously, they were meant for _me_ and were left on your desk by mistake. Yes, I indeed have many secret admirers.”  
  
There was a snorting sound, possibly from Alix.

“Well, the card is addressed to me…” Marinette refuted, gently pulling the card up so the name on it was visible. 

Chloe sniffed, turning her nose up. “...Well, no accounting for taste I suppose.”  
  
Marinette rolled her eyes, smiling at the delightful delection of flowers inside the bouquet. A wonderful selection that assaulted the senses with beautiful smells. But there was a deeper meaning here.

She knew flower language, and it was obvious what the anonymous gifter was trying to convey. And it was making her _swoon_ in delight. 

A set of pink camillas, it meant someone was longing for her. Some red ones meant she lit a fire in someone’s heart. A red carnation meant someone’s heart ached for her, and a pink meant they’d never forget her. Some white clover meant to think of them.

“Talk about romantic!” Alya whooped at the sight, before apparently smirking for some reason known only to her. 

“Yeah…” Marinette whispered with her voice coming out as a lovestruck sigh, clutching the card close to her beating heart. “...The only question is, who sent it?”  
  
“Do you recognize the handwriting?” Alya leaned over with a curious expression the reporter senses in her apparently tingling. 

“It looks sorta familiar, but…” Marinette sighed. “Unfortunately, no, nothing’s springing to mind at least at the moment.”  
  
Alya frowned before Rose let out a shriek of joy. Marinette’s head whipped around to see the rest of the class crowding around Lila’s desk and it took all of her strength to suppress a groan.

And then it took all of her strength to suppress a _laugh._

“Look, Lila, someone else send you a bouquet!” Rose babbled excitedly, apparently not knowing of the symbolism that the giver was going for. The hidden message.

“Oh well, I really shouldn’t accept…” Lila said, bashfully and Marinette was trying not to roll her eyes. That tone was so fake. “...But it is nice isn’t it?”

She held up the bouquet showing it to the rest of the class and there came the appropriate ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’. Mind, it was really honestly hilarious to Marinette about how _blind_ Lila must have been to the anonymous giver’s real thoughts.

“...wow, she is just lapping it up,” Alya muttered, recognizing the symbolism as well. She too at first had bought into Lila’s apparent ‘too good for this sinful Earth’ routine but it didn’t last. Once she found out who Ladybug really was, her love for Lila was replaced with outright disgust and annoyance. 

“That’s Lila for you. I think you can hear a bubble about to pop,” Marinette drawled, going over the flowers and their meanings in her head. “I can hear something swelling up, and there’s certainly a lot of hot air.”

Hollyhocks for ambition, and some Lady’s Slipper for capricious beauty. A bit of lavender for distrust. Marigolds for jealousy, and Rhododendrons for danger. Snapdragon for deception. A tall sunflower for her haughtiness and some tansies for hostile thoughts. Maybe even declaring war.

“Yes, it’s a beautiful mix, isn’t it?” Marinette pretended to croon over Lila’s ‘gift’ and tried not to bust a gut laughing.

“I really shouldn’t accept, but…” Lila sighed. “What can a girl do, eh?”  
  
Truly, the Bouquet of Disdain had to be the funniest thing she’d seen all year. Marinette knew today was looking up, between _that_ and apparently someone declaring their interest in her. 

_“But…”_ she frowned, unable to ignore that nagging thought in the back of her mind. _“What about Adrien?”_

This was touching, really, it was, but all the same…

Her thoughts could go no further though, as in walked Ms. Bustier. “Alright, class, please open your books to…”  
  
Ms. Bustier spotted the two bouquets on her students’ desks. She raised an eyebrow at both, and apparently unlike everyone else did _not_ miss the symbolism. Especially if the worried frown she sent Lila’s direction was any indicator.

“Lila, are you sure you want to keep that?” Ms. Bustier had to ask, ever kind and caring even to people who didn’t deserve it.

“Of course I do,” Lila said. “It’s beautiful, it’s so me!”  
  
Marinette had to stop herself from laughing. She didn’t know how _right_ she was!

\------

After class, Alya cornered Adrien.

“You didn’t sign it?” she asked, eyes slightly narrowed.

“Nope!” Adrien popped the p.

“Alright, Agreste, I’ll bite,” said Alya in confusion, crossing her arms and looking slightly worried. “What are you playing at?”

“I’ll be giving Marinette several more throughout the week, think of it as a declaration of intent,” Adrien explained, grabbing his books for the next class. “I’ll be leaving hints, making her work for me. After all, I _am_ worth it!”  
  
“Careful Agreste, don’t let your ego grow any larger or I might have to pop it,” Alya teased. “But you’re a sneaky kitty. Just make sure you leave enough for Marinette to figure out who’s staking their claim, eh?”  
  
“Oh relax, I got this in hand,” Adrien said letting a _very_ Cat-like grin sneak over his face. “I’m Cat Noir, my partner knows me like the back of her hand! If my bugaboo didn’t figure out who was leaving her messages, I’d have reason to be concerned!”

“Fair enough,” Alya conceded with a shrug of her shoulders. “...also, really, a Bouquet of Disdain for Lila? You live dangerously, Agreste.”

“I know,” Adrien said, his grin turning to a frown. “That witch has been threatening my partner. I can’t expose her, not yet at least, but I can most certainly make sure she gets the message.”

“Well, I hate to break it to you,” Alya sighed. “But she apparently doesn’t know the language of flowers.”

Then came Lila, rushing by and scratching like she had the world’s worst case of fleas. Adrien chuckled darkly.

“I didn’t say _that_ was the message I was leaving,” he said. “She should have listened to the tansies though.”

\------

Adrien held true to his word, and every other day, Marinette found herself with a mysterious bouquet of flowers. They’d been stuffed in her locker, or hidden on her balcony or placed in her garden of inspiration overlooking the Eiffel.

 _“How?”_ was the only thought on her mind.

...Mind, not that she didn’t appreciate the gifts. Her room was now wall to wall vases of flowers and little planters of herbs. Her room was wall to wall color, filled with the sweetest of scents imagininable.

“Sunflowers and tarragon,” Marinette mused, placing the newest adornation on her desk. “Adoration and lasting interest.”  
  
“My, someone’s staking their claim,” Tikki giggled, the little pixie floating above her head before sniffing the latest addition to Marinette’s growing garden. “How romantic… You don’t see this too often nowadays!”  
  
“I know…” Marinette whined as she fell back into her chaise, biting her fingernails. “...What did I do to deserve this? Now I’ve got three boys to choose from!”  
  
“How do you know it’s not from Luka?” Tikki suggested, nestled in her chosen’s hair. “Or Adrien~?”  
  
“Adrien?” Marinette nearly squeaked, looking like she was about to go catatonic as she considered the possibility.

“You never know~!” Tikki grinned. “This is obviously an old fashioned way to confess one’s love, and it is clear whoever is sending these knows exactly what they mean!”

“Apparently…” Marinette mused looking around her room with a wistful, loving smile and a content sigh. “...It’d be nice if it was Adrien wasn’t it? But I’m not that lucky!”  
  
“But you _are_ Ladybug…” Tikki pointed out.

“I don’t think he’s ever noticed me,” Marinette replied, resigned to her fate. “At least… as nothing more than some creepy fangirl!”  
  
“You never know,” Tikki said sagely. “Don’t lose hope, Marinette!”  
  
“You know…” Marinette mused looking around the room. “All of these flowers, they would make _quite_ the fashion statement if they were on a dress!”  
  
“Now there’s an idea!” Tikki cheered as her holder scrambled for her sketchbook.

\------

Mind, Marinette wasn’t the only one getting bouquets. Lila just lapped them up each time they arrived…

“Oh gosh, are you allergic to the flowers they got you? Oh, that's not good at all!” 

...even if the flowers were laced with sneezing or itching powder.

Adrien had said this in a _way_ too innocent tone that had Marinette biting her tongue to keep from laughing.

“Oh, haha, yes. It's one of my many allergies. I'm still thankful for the thoughtful gift anyways!” Lila gritted her teeth and tried to sound far politer than she probably wanted to be.

“Here, let me take those,” Marinette said, enjoying this probably more than she should have. If it were anyone else, even Chloe, she might have felt guilty for trying so hard not to laugh. “I’ll find something that you’re not allergic to, okay?”  
  
“No, you really mustn't,” Lila said playing with her locks and sneezing a little. “I can handle this by myself.”  
  
“Oh no, I insist,” Marinette said, handing her arch-nemesis a tissue. “Here, blow your nose and get yourself cleaned up okay? That snot on your face just ruins your beautiful looks!”  
  
_Shame she’s ugly behind all of that makeup,_ Marinette sighed. _And I don’t mean in looks!_

“Thank you!” Lila said. “You’re a true friend, Marinette!”  
  
_Oh, you only wish!_ Marinette thought with a furious expression she quickly hid. _Oooooh, I don’t hate people easily but I’ll be so glad when you’re gone!_ _  
_ _  
_ “She’s such a true friend isn’t she guys?” Lila said, as the class nodded and made murmurs of agreement. “You guys are so lucky to have her!”  
  
Marinette was only a few seconds out of the classroom before she could hold her laughter no longer. It came long and loud, burbling up from her throat when she was well out of earshot. 

_Oh, I am so keeping these flowers!_ Marinette said. _They apparently work as the perfect anti-Lila deterrent!_ _  
_ _  
_ She rubbed her nose a little, before sneezing cutely.

_...right after I get the itching powder out of them!_

“Boy, I didn’t know Lila hated flowers so much,” Adrien sighed as he walked on by, and Marinette’s heart nearly _stopped_ as she gave a surprised squeak and then another sneeze. “...I caught her trying to shove her latest gift in the garbage a few days ago.”  
  
“Yes, well, Lila wouldn’t know if something was beautiful even if it danced in front of her wearing a neon sign,” Marinette sighed setting the flowers aside. “...I’m still curious who got her these though.”  
  
“Well, it is a mystery isn’t it?” Adrien said casually. “Clearly though, they know her so well!”  
  
Marinette snorted, again turning into a sneeze. Damn powder humiliating her in front of her longtime crush. 

“Quite!” she agreed, accepting the offered tissue and tried oh so hard not to faint. Adrien, Adrien had handed her a tissue! Oh, this was a gift from the gods!

“In fact,” Adrien said, an impish smile that looked all too familiar slipping onto his face. “I’m paws-sitive someone has it out for her!”

Marinette’s heart skipped a few beats as it hit her, like a thunderbolt. Her whole world rocked with a revelation, and she realized just _who_ was in front of her as she all too easily imagined a black mask over his face.

 _No!_ she thought, dumbstruck and her mouth gaping wide.

Green eyes sparkled, as her partner(!) greeted her with a, “Hi, Milady.”

Okay, yeah, she felt a bit faint.

“Woah, okay,” Adrien said, trying to steady her. “I knew you would be pleased to meet me, but I didn’t know you’d have a minor _cat_ -strophe. Cat got your tongue?”

Another feeling replaced her shock. Something long ingrained in her. 

“You IDIOT!” Marinette shouted, smacking him over the back of the head before collapsing into his chest. Adrien raised an eyebrow in concern, sure she was upset. “You’re such an idiot… I’m such an idiot, I was such an idiot. Right in front of me, the whole damn time!”  
  
“Don’t cry Milady,” her loyal partner rushed to her side, tilting her head up to look up at him with a tissue to dab at her eyes. “I just wanted to surprise you, that’s all.”  
  
Then he realized her shaking wasn’t from sobbing, but her laughing into his chest.

“Oh man, I was so blind…” Marinette snorted. “Like, _how?_ That’s how you got those flowers to my balcony! You cheat!”  
  
“Oh well, what’s the use of superpowers,” Adrien grinned, “...if you can’t have a bit of fun with them every now and again, right? Besides, my act of cheating, it can be forgiven. It was for a worthy cause after all, making the perfect Purrincess smile!”  
  
Marinette flicked his nose. “I guess if you’ll have me, I can be your Purrince!” 

“She puns!” Adrien’s eyes sparkled in delight. “I guess she is ready to let this lonely stray out from the cold!”  
  
“Oh, don’t get ahead of yourself, my dear,” Marinette returned, easily slipping into a familiar rhythm once she’d realized who was in front of her. Her dorky, pun loving partner. “After all, I can’t just let _any_ kitty into my home! My, what would the neighbors say?”

“Well, I’m sure they can’t be too worried,” her partner returned. “Everyone wants to be _me_ after all. I’m not mangey either, I bathe every day just in hopes I meet my Purrincess.”

“Well, you certainly smell like the cat’s meow,” Marinette said, risking a sniff. “But you galavant all around Paris, why you certainly have a reputation kitty! You’ve been feeding from other dumpsters haven’t you?”  
  
“I choose only the finest,” Adrien smirked before looking at her with innocent eyes “But surely you have room in your heart to let this poor lost and lonely stray into your heart…?”  
  
“Mhmmm,” Marinette murmured, leaning in for a kiss. “I’ll think about it.” 

“I await your answer!” Adrien’s eyes sparkled, as his partner giggled. It was a wonderful musical chime like bells he wished he’d hear for the rest of his life.

“Just don’t cheat on me with some other kitty,” Marinette said. “You are _mine_ and _mine_ alone!”

She punctuated each word with a poke to the chest.

“Well, I, Adrien Alphonse Andre Athanase Agreste give you my word I will be yours and yours alone,” he said with a bow. “And you know how this kitty keeps his word!”  
  
“My my, you have five names,” Marinette giggled again, it sounding even better the second time. “Your name seems to cover all of France! Why monsieur, you seem to be particularly well traveled!”  
  
“I would gladly take you on a countryside tour, and my they would be jealous, the girls of Paris,” Adrien remarked, in an equally teasing tone. “After all, everyone wants to be this cat!”  
  
“I thought everyone would want to be me…” Marinette said, bashfully and rather insecurely.

“Why wouldn’t they?” Adrien said kissing her forehead. “You’re the most perfect girl in Paris! Which is why, I said, everyone would want to be me!”

“Oh stop,” Marinette said gently shoving him away with red covering her face like she was a strawberry. “You’re too kind!”  
  
“Hey,” Adrien said, kissing her again, gently as ever. “I speak only the truth!”  
  
“How did you get the idea to start sending me flowers anyways?” Marinette had to ask.

“Alya gave me the suggestion,” her boyfriend(!) explained, Marinette having to resist the squee as it set in for her. “She said you’d love it.”  
  
“As it’s from you…” Marinette smiled snuggling into his side. “Of course I do. Mind, the Bouquet of Disdain was so much better! You could tell Lila was trying not to explode!”  
  
“Well, I’d hate to see Mount Vesuvius erupt for a second time!” 

Marinette snorted. “Mount Vesuvius was a tragedy, Lila is anything but!”

“Okay, fine, she’s Mount Rossi. Not particularly famous, but a thing that had happened.”

Marinette, this time, couldn’t help but laugh.

And then the eruption happened. “YOU TWO ARE DATING?”  
  
Rossi stood there, steaming and her face looking violently red as her eyes crackled like lightning. 

“Why yes,” Marinette deadpanned with a flat stare. “We are.”  
  
“But… but she’s a stalker!” Lila fumed, and Marinette was _sure_ that was smoke coming from her ears in her fury. “She’s got photographs of you all over her room!”  
  
“So do half the girls in Paris!” Marinette pointed out. “I fail to see the problem.”  
  
“She’s got your schedule Adrien!” Lila stammered, searching for an opening.

“I have that so me and my friends can find time to hang out with him,” Marinette held her own, calm and not showing any weakness. “His father’s incredibly strict, you know.”  
  
“He… he sent me flowers!” Lila growled, words apparently getting harder for her as they were barely understandable.

“But Lila,” Adrien smiled. “I thought you liked them?”  
  
The Italian screamed. 

Adrien’s voice went low, threatening destruction and in that moment he sounded more like Cat Noir than ever. He wrapped an arm around Marinette protectively, pulling her close. “Keep away from my girlfriend Rossi. Otherwise… deal’s off. We both know there’s no such thing as a lying disease. Don’t make me leak the details of that to the media. I’m _sure_ they’d love to know how Gabriel Agreste’s new model will fake a disability…”  
  
“This isn’t over,” Lila hissed venomously looking more like a snake than a fox. A death adder maybe. “Just watch. When you least expect it Marinette, I’ll strike.”

“I look forward to it,” Marinette replied evenly. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I want to spend the rest of class with my boyfriend and I’d hate for _any_ disruptions!”

**Author's Note:**

> For those curious, and wanting to tell their special someone how they feel about them [I have encased a link.](https://www.almanac.com/flower-meanings-language-flowers)
> 
> Not sure if this is one of my best ones, at times it felt very paint by numbers. All the same, it's a very cute idea and I *loved* writing the two flirting at the end. Not to mention some Alya/Adrien friendship. I'd love to see more of these two dorks together.
> 
> Also, you a fan of Ladybug, and are you searching for a place to share your love for the series? Join us here at the [Miraculous Fanworks Discord! ](https://discord.gg/mlfanworks)


End file.
